This invention relates to an improved identification card. More specifically, this invention relates to an identification card containing an internal antenna and integrated circuit chip laminated between two protective, non-rigid layers onto which artwork may be printed, which are then laminated between to rigid outer layers.
“Smart cards” which contain an IC chip are well known in the art and typically have been used for credit card and ATM transactions. Smart cards may either have contacts on their surface to interface with a card reader or they may be contactless cards and incorporate an antenna within the body of the card to transfer data without physical contact with a reading device.
Typically smart cards have been made with a rigid core onto which an IC chip and antenna are positioned by means of glue or a mechanical device. The rigid core is then covered with a plastic, encasing the structure in a polymer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,633 issued to Mundigl, et al. discloses a method whereby an antenna is inserted into a recess in a carrier body. U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,021 issued to Tiffany, III teaches the use of low shrinkage glue to secure the electronic components to a rigid plastic core layer, which is then placed into a bottom mold assembly. A top mold assembly is then attached to the bottom mold creating a void. Thermoplastic is then injected into the void space to secure the electronic components. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,463 issued to O'Malley, et al. discloses a microelectric assembly including an antenna embedded within a polymeric card by means of a mold assembly. The antenna and chip are placed into a mold and polymeric material is injected into the mold thus encasing the components.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,099 issued to Leighton discloses a process for manufacturing a combination contact/contactless smart card via a lamination process utilizing core sheets made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). In the Leighton method, a region of the card is milled to expose the contacts of the card.
Due to the rigidity of the components used in the prior art cards, the electronic components cards can be subject to damage from bending stresses. Also, securing the antenna and chip with glue or a mechanical means is complicated and can needlessly increase the costs of production. Understandably, processes utilizing molds involve increased costs of tooling and production not seen in a lamination process. Both the highly plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) type and the polyester/poly(vinyl chloride) composite type can become brittle over time because of migration of the plasticizers, thus reducing the resistance of the document to cracking; such cracking renders the card unusable and vulnerable to tampering. Data that are crucial to the identification of the bearer are often covertly repeated on the document in encrypted form for data verification in a magnetic stripe, bar code, radio frequency module or integrated circuit chip. The inability to retrieve such data due to cracking renders the document invalid. In addition, many of the polyester/poly(vinyl chloride) composite documents have exhibited extreme sensitivity to combinations of heat and humidity, as evidenced by delaminating and curling of the document structure.
Therefore, a need exists for a low-cost, easily constructed identification card having an antenna and chip incorporated into the body of the card, which protects these electronic components from damage. Applicants invention relates to a unique structure capable of protecting the IC chip and antenna. Applicants' invention contains two relatively shock-absorbing layers, which may contain indicia. In an embodiment, two rigid outer laminate layers encase the relatively shock absorbing layers, adding structural support and protection. Applicants' card differs from the prior art in that in the prior art, normally rigid materials are used throughout the card, thus permitting external stresses and bending to damage the delicate IC chip and antenna. In applicants' improved design, rigid outer layers disseminate external forces over a broad area of compliant layers, thus protecting the electronic components.